'Heartbreaking' fire engulfs Liverpool's iconic Littlewoods building

Firefighters battle a huge blaze at the Littlewoods Building in Edge Lane, Liverpool. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

A "heartbreaking" blaze at Liverpool's Littlewoods building raged into Monday morning, leaving fire crews battling to save the landmark.

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The roof and an upper floor of a wing of the "iconic" building were feared to have been destroyed after flames took hold on Sunday evening.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) said crews were confronted with a "significant" blaze that at one point saw an area measuring 200m x 100m alight.

Firefighters battle a huge blaze at the Littlewoods Building in Edge Lane, Liverpool. PIC: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

However firefighters were able to prevent the whole site being engulfed and the 1930s Art-Deco structure's integrity was thought to have withstood the blaze.

The former Littlewoods Pools building has lain empty since 2003, although a £50 million scheme to transform the site had recently been announced.

Among the proposals was to build film and television studios at the site, potentially bringing hundreds of jobs to the area.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said the fire was "absolutely heartbreaking" and "a real setback".

"Let's hope and pray its salvageable," he tweeted.

MFRS said it was called to the building at 7.52pm and crews were on the scene within four minutes, but the roof of one of the buildings was already well alight.

The fire was declared to be under control at around 1.30am on Monday morning and there had not been any reports of injuries.

Adam Higgins, co-founder of the building's developer Capital & Centric, said the blaze had started in the west wing of the building, which is known for its tower.

Fire crews were able to prevent flames spreading to the east wing, although the roof and an internal floor of the west wing were feared to have collapsed.

"So far all the walls remain intact and obviously they are the bits that are really iconic to people from the city," he told BBC Radio 5Live.

"The building's hugely important to us and to everyone really in Liverpool. We announced some big plans about three months ago which would bring in Twickenham film studios to the city and to this building in particular.

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